MDC lists 13 winter eagle viewing places and an Eagle Days event at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge on Dec 5 to 6, 2026.
Each row below was read on the page named in its last column on October 30, 2026. Prices, hours and rules change, so confirm with the operator before you go. Items we could not read are listed under What We Could Not Verify.
Background
- MDC says early morning is best for watching eagles fly and fish. (mdc.mo.gov)
- The Loess Bluffs Eagle Days event has live eagle shows by World Bird Sanctuary on the hour, auto tour stops with spotting scopes, and the visitor center open. (mdc.mo.gov)
- Loess Bluffs staff do weekly waterfowl and bald eagle surveys from fall through spring. (fws.gov)
- Loess Bluffs lists state-endangered massasauga rattlesnakes among its species. (fws.gov)
- Eagle Bluffs gets much of its water from treated Columbia wastewater. (mdc.mo.gov)
- MDC has a birds section at /wildlife/birds and photo and live cam pages. (mdc.mo.gov)
Where to Go
| Place | Town | What It Is | Hours or Price as Printed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge | Mound City | Northwest Missouri refuge with a 10-mile auto tour, snow geese and bald eagle surveys each week fall through spring. | hours and fees not stated | fws.gov |
| Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area | Columbia (Boone County) | MDC wetland area of 17 pools; closed in parts Oct 15 to Mar 1 to protect waterfowl. | Open daily 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. | mdc.mo.gov |
| Mingo National Wildlife Refuge | Puxico | 21,592 acres of bottomland forest, swamp and marsh; page did not mention eagles though MDC lists it for eagle viewing. | Visitor Center Wed and Fri 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; page shows auto tour dates for 2025 | fws.gov |
| Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge | Sumner | 10,795-acre wetland refuge est. 1937 and an Important Bird Area; page did not mention eagles. | not stated | fws.gov |
| Lake of the Ozarks at Bagnell Dam Access | Bagnell | MDC winter eagle viewing site east of Bagnell. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Lock & Dam 24 and Lock & Dam 25 | Clarksville; east of Winfield | Two Mississippi River viewing sites on MDC's list. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Old Chain of Rocks Bridge | St. Louis | Viewing site south of I-270 off Riverview Drive. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary | West Alton | MDC viewing site east of West Alton. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Schell-Osage Conservation Area | El Dorado Springs | MDC viewing site north of El Dorado Springs. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Smithville Lake | Smithville | MDC viewing site north of Kansas City. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery | Branson | MDC viewing site southwest of Branson. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
| Truman Reservoir | Warsaw | MDC viewing site west of Warsaw. | not stated | mdc.mo.gov |
What We Could Not Verify
- Other Eagle Days locations/dates: MDC page printed only the Loess Bluffs event
- Squaw Creek name not confirmed by a page read
- MDC place page for Loess Bluffs returned 404; the FWS page was used
- Refuge hours not stated on pages read
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
When is Eagle Days at Loess Bluffs?
MDC prints Saturday Dec 5, 2026 8:30 am through Sunday Dec 6, 2026 4:00 pm (47th annual).
Is Squaw Creek the same as Loess Bluffs?
The name Squaw Creek was not confirmed on any page read; MDC lists Loess Bluffs NWR south of Mound City.
When are eagles viewed?
MDC says winter, late December through early February.
Sources
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/things-to-do/eagle-watching-and-birding/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.